Door fastener



June 18, 1968 H. WIRSIG noon FASTENER Filed May 31, 1966 INVENTOR. 50 Ii WIRS/G ATTORNI'TS United States Patent 3,388,937 DGOR FASTENER Leo H. Wirsig, Rte. 1, Deepwater, Mo. 64740 Filed May 31, 1966, Ser. No. 554,060 3 Claims. (Cl. 29262) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A sliding door fastener comprises an elongated rod which longitudinally slides and rotatably projects through the door with an elongated handle radially extending from one end and an elongated latching leg radially extending from the other end. The leg and handle extend at a right angle to each other and the fastener is limited in rotation to a half-circle whereby the handle maintains the leg in an attained locked position or unlocked position due to the ofiset weight thereof placing torsion on the rod.

This invention relates to improvements in door fasteners of the hand latching type.

The principal objects of the present invention are: to provide a door fastener which is easily operated from the inside as well as the outside of the door; to provide such a fastener construction which will be operable to secure either hinged or sliding doors; to provide such a fastener which is easily installed and adjusted; to provide such a device which is useful on either a left or right hand installation; to provide such a fastener which may be easily secured in locked condition through use of a simple padlock; to provide such a lock apparatus which tends to pull the door into tight contacting relationship with the jamb to minimize leakage therebetween; and to provide such a structure which is extremely simple in design, rugged and long lasting in use and well adapted for its intended purpose.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein are set forth by way of illustration and example certain embodiments of this invention.

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary front elevational view showing a sliding barn door with a fastener embodying this invention associated therewith.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the structure of FIG. 1 on an enlarged scale showing the front of the fastener in greater detail.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional rear elevational view through the door jamb on the scale of FIG. 2 showing the relationship between parts of the fastener behind the door in locked condition.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view through the fastener stlucture taken on the line 4-4, FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4, but showing the fastener structure in unlocked condition and the door partially open.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view through a fastener structure embodying this invention showing a modified form of rod member mounting.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view through the fastener structure taken on the line 77, FIG. 6, showing a portion of the modified mounting in front elevation.

Referring to the drawings in more detail:

The reference numeral 1 generally indicates a door fastener embodying this invention. The fastener 1, in this example, is shown mounted on a sliding barn door 2 of the type having an inner face 3 and an outer face 4. The door 2 is movable on conventional rollers 5 engaging a track 5' into and out of adjacent relationship with a jamb 6 located adjacent the inner face 3. The door 2 slides in the direction indicated by the arrows 7 when being opened and when closed, abuts a stop 8 whereat it is retained against transverse swinging by tongues 9. A handle 10 is provided as a convenience for sliding the door when it is not retained.

A support member or plate '11 is secured to the outer face 4 of the door 2 by means of suitable wood screws 12. A sleeve bearing 13 extends through an opening 14 in the central portion of the plate 11 and it is rigidly secured to the plate, for example, by welding at 15. The sleeve bearing 13 extends horizontally transversely into the door 2 through a suitable bore '16 formed in the door for this purpose.

A shank or red member 17 has an outer end 18 and an inner end 19 and an elongated cylindrical straight body 20 therebetween. The body 26 extends transversely horizontally through the sleeve bearing 13 and door 2 and is movably engaged with the sleeve bearing 13 for both horizontal longitudinal sliding and rotary motion.

The rod member outer end 18 has screw threads 21 thereon. A handle 22 extends radially of the body 20 and has one end terminating in a nut 23 rigidly fixed thereto and threadedly engaged with the screw threads 21. A lock nut 24 is also engaged with the screw threads 21, but inwardly of the nut 23, and operably engages or bears against the nut 23 through a washer 25. The look not 24 and nut 23 are thus jammed together with the washer 25 therebetween to an extent that the handle 22 is rotatably and axially rigidly fixed with respect to the rod member 17. A helical compression spring 26 surrounds the rod member body 20 and bears at opposite ends thereof against the washer 25 and the plate 11 for resiliently urging the rod member 17 outwardly of the door outer face 4 without restricting the rotation of the rod member. The sleeve bearing '13 projects slightly outwardly of the plate 11 at 13' and is received within one end of the spring 26 for maintaining the spring substantially coaxial with the body 20 at the plate 11. The nut 24 is received into the other end of the spring 26 and tends to maintain same also coaxial with the body 20.

The rod member inner end 19 has an integral leg 27 extending radially thereof and forming a relatively sharp right angle junction 28 with the body 20. The leg 27, in this example, is approximately the same length as the handle 22 and extends at an angle of approximately degrees counterclockwise therefrom when viewed from the outer face 4 for a purpose noted hereinafter.

An anchor member 29 comprises a supporting portion or plate 39 mounted by means of screws 31 on the jamb 6. The plate 30 has a rod portion 32 rigidly secured at an inner end 33 thereof to the plate 34} whereby the rod portion extends horizontally parallel to the door 2 at an elevation slightly below that of the body 20. The rod portion 32 has an outer end 34 with an integral foot 35 extending upwardly therefrom and forming a right angle bend with the rod portion 32. The plate 30 and foot 35 form an upwardly open slot 37 therebetween having a width slightly greater than the diameter of the rod member 17 at the leg 27.

A loop 38 is rigidly secured to the plate 11 and extends outwardly from the outer face 4 and adjacent the handle 22 when the fastener is in the closed position described below. The loop 33 is of a size designed to receive a suitable padlock (not shown) which may be also directed about the handle 22 to prevent releasing the fastener.

The door 2 has a wall 39 recessed into the inner face 3 for receiving the leg 27 when the body 20 is withdrawn outwardly of the door 2. The sleeve bearing 13 has an inner end 39' projecting beyond the wall 39 and acts as a stop to prevent the leg 27 from resting in contact with the wall 39, improving the accessibility of the'leg 27 for grasping from the inside of the building. When contacting the inner end 39, however, the leg 27 is sufliciently re cessed so that it will not interfere with the door sliding past the jamb 6 in the direction of the arrows 7 when the fastener is in an open position. A striker plate 40 may be provided within the recess 39 and positioned to act as a stop for the upward rotation of the leg 27 when the rod member 17 is moved to a withdrawn and open position.

in operation, when it is desired to lock the door 2, the door is urged to the position shown in FIG. 1 against the stop 8 whereupon the body 29 and leg 27 are aligned with the slot 37. It is noted that when the fastener is in open position, the leg 27 is maintained vertically by the clockwise counterweight of the extending handle 22 as viewed from the outer face 4. The body 20 is urged by the handle 27. axially inwardly through the sleeve bearing 13 until the junction 28 passes through the slot 37. The handle 22 is then rotated 180 degrees counterclockwise to the position shown at 41, FIG. 2, whereupon the rounded portions of the foot 35 and leg 27 slidably interfere to pull the door tightly against the jamb 6. When the handle 22 is rotated the full 180 degrees, the foot 27 assumes the position shown in FIG. 3 where it extends downwardly in locking relationship with the rod portion 32 and foot 35 preventing the door from swinging outwardly of the jamb 6 or sliding open. The weight of the handle 22 now urges the leg 27 counterclockwise as viewed from the outer face 4 to retain a vertically downwardly extending position. Upon moving the body 20 inwardly, the lock nut 24 contacts the sleeve bearing 13 to maintain a tight relationship between the door and jamb. Aiso, the spring 26 is compressed to the point where the various coils are in closely spaced relation to prevent tampering with the lock nut 24, FIG. 4.

Opening the door merely requires the reverse action, rotating the handle 22 180 degrees clockwise to a position 42 wherein the junction 28 may be withdrawn rearwardly through the slot 37 and into the recess 39. The expanded spring 26 will then maintain the leg 27 in the recess 39. When the fastener is in open position, the spring 26 may be easily urged axially away from the nut 24 so that the nut can be gripped by a suitable wrench for installing or removing the fastener. Further, the nuts 23 and 24 may be locked together in various positions along the threads at 21 to compensate for ditferent door thicknesses and variations which may occur in the placement of the anchor member 29.

A fingerhold block 43 may be secured to the outer end of the leg 27 to provide a grasping member for more conveniently withdrawing the leg from the recess 39 to lock the door from inside the building.

A second embodiment of this invention is illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7 and is similar to the embodiment above described with the exception that the plate 11 is replaced by a pair of inner and outer plates 44 and 45 which provide slidable and rotatable bearing support for the rod member body 46 instead of an elongated sleeve bearing.

Although certain forms of this invention have been illustrated and described, it is not to be limited thereto except insofar as such limitations are included in the following claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A fastener for use on a horizontally sliding door having an inner face and an outer face and a vertical jamb comprising:

(a) an elongated rod member having an outer end and an inner end, a support member adapted for mounting on said door and supporting said rod mem- -ber horizontally extending through said door for longitudinal and rotational motion,

(is) an elongated handle fixed to said rod member outer end and extending radially thereof for rotational movement between opposed horizontally extending positions, an elongated leg fixed to said rod member inner end and extending radially thereof and at a right-angle to said handle for corresponding movement therewith between opposed vertically extending positions, and

(c) means for mounting on said jamb forming an upwardly open slot positioned for receiving said leg therethrough when in an upwardly extending position upon longitudinally inward movement of said rod member and trapping said leg upon rotation of said leg to a downwardly extending position,

(d) said handle providing a counterweight urging said leg to remain in the attained downwardly directed and upwardly directed positions.

2. The fastener as set forth in claim 1 including:

(a) finger-hold means on said leg to aid in grasping said leg.

3. The fastener as set forth in claim 1 including:

(a) a helical compression spring surrounding said rod member for hearing against said outer face and said handle.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 883,215 3/1908 Luke 287-53 1,405,857 2/1922 Neidig 292-6 1,696,785 12/1928 Welty.

1,702,676 2/1929 Vocisano. 1,789,889 1/1931 Yaggy 29234O X 2,793,062 4/1957 Fleming 292--62 X 3,174,782 3/1965 Duhrn 292-59 FOREIGN PATENTS 13,985 6/1881 Germany.

MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Primary Examiner. J. R. MOSES, Assistant Examiner. 

